Polychromatic dye applicator

ABSTRACT

A polychromatic dye applicator having a frame positioned transversely to the flow of material being dyed as it passes through the frame. Traverse bars are supported above the material passing therethrough. A plurality of nozzles are attached to said traverse bars such that their open end is directed toward the material passing therebeneath. Dye tanks mounted on the frame have a flow system that carries the dyes to their individual manifold pipes from whence they are distributed through feed tubes to the nozzles. A variable speed motor mounted on the frame produces a rotational drive motion on its shaft which is transmitted to a disc having a reciprocally mounted cam follower in its open face. A split ring cam mount frame removably receives a cam having a predetermined configuration and it is positioned adjacent said disc to place said cam follower in contact with said cam surface. Rotational motion directed into said disc is transmitted therefrom by an arm connected to the cam follower in the form of a reciprocating pivotal motion to a crank arm. The crank arm is mounted on a shaft which in turn receives the reciprocal pivoting motion. A rocker arm mounted on the shaft transmits its up and down motion to bell crank members that are connected to the traverse bars. The ultimate motion of the traverse bars is a reciprocating back and forth motion over the fabric being dyed as it is passing transversely through the dye applicator apparatus.

United States Patent Harris et al.

[ Sept. 5, 1972 Primary Examiner-William I. Price Attorney-Herbert B. Barlow et al.

[ ABSTRACT A polychromatic dye applicator having a frame positioned transversely to the flow of material being dyed as it passes through the frame. Traverse bars are sup- 1: 1 l4 Ii l ported above the material passing therethrough. A plurality of nozzles are attached to said traverse bars such that their open end is directed toward the material passing therebeneath. Dye tanks mounted on the frame have a flow system that carries the dyes to their individual manifold pipes from whence they are distributed through feed tubes to the nozzles. A variable speed motor mounted on the frame produces a rotational drive motion on its shaft which is transmitted to a disc having a reciprocally mounted cam follower in its open face. A split ring cam mount frame removably receives a cam having a predetermined configuration and it is positioned adjacent said disc to place said cam follower in contact with said cam surface. Rotational motion directed into said disc is transmitted therefrom by an arm connected to the cam follower in the form of a reciprocating pivotal motion to a crank arm. The crank arm is mounted on a shaft which in turn receives the reciprocal pivoting motion. A rocker arm mounted on the shaft transmits its up and down motion to bell crank members that are connected to the traverse bars. The ultimate motion of the traverse bars is a reciprocating back and forth motion over the fabric being dyed as it is passing transversely through the dye applicator apparatus.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEsEP' 51912 3.688.530

sum 1 or 2 INVENTORS STEPHEN C HARRIS yOHN F. DAMON ATTORNEYS SEP 5 I972 sum 2 [1F 2 -4 hut? l 0 INVENTORS STEPHEN c. HARRIS JOHN F DAMON 5 ATTORNEYS POLYCHROMATIC DYE APPLICATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to dyeing fabric and more particularly to a novel apparatus for producing design patterns on the material to be dyed through movement of the dye nozzles transversely above the material as it is passing thereunder through the apparatus.

Polychromatic coloration of textiles without using blocks or screens or patterned rollers has long been practiced in batik work and tie and dye coloration. Later developments in dyeing processes have employed streams of dye solutions which are directed onto the fabric either by force of pressure or under their own gravitational weight. Materials dyed by this procedure show closely adjacent areas of colors which essentially correspond to the individual colors of the dyes placed onto the material and the secondary color hu'es which are brought about by the mixing of the adjacent solutions arise only to a limited extent.

An object of the invention is to produce a dye applicator capable of producing designs ranging from distinct stripes to an infinite variety of merging colors and continuous or broken patterns.

Another object of the invention is to produce a dye applicator capable of producing a wide range of dye designs and ones where the pattern repetition can be controlled to a high degree of accuracy from run to run.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dye applicator with a novel means for programming different designs to be applied to the fabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Fundamentally applicants novel polychromatic dye applicator is positioned in a process line so that fabric or material which is to be dyed is passed through the dye applicator which is itself transversely positioned with respect to the flow of the material. Supported above the material as it passes therethrough are a pair of traverse bars having a plurality of nozzles attached thereto across the length of said traverse bars. Feed tubes connected to the nozzles are individually supplied with dye from dye tanks mounted on the apparatus with the dyes passing through appropriate connecting lines of supply. The stream of dye to be directed on the fabric to be dyed can be applied thereto by positive pressure or simply by gravitational forces. If the design pattern to be applied to the fabric is merely a striped design, the traverse bars would remain stationa' ry during passage of the material therebeneath. When it is intended to vary the pattern, the traverse bars are actuated in a predetermined reciprocal cyclic motion.

The manner of controlling the reciprocating motion of the traverse bars is a connecting linkage from a motor mounted atop the apparatus which controls the motion of the traverse bars. Rotational motion coming off the motors drive shaft is transmitted to a disc mounted on the end of said shaft. Across the open face of the disc a channel is formed into which a carriage member is slidingly and matingly engaged. Adjacent one end of said carriage member a cam follower is protrudingly mounted. The cam follower is eccentrically positioned with respect to said disc. Mounted adjacent the open face of said disc is a split ring cam mount frame into which is mounted a cam whose cam surface is positioned against said cam follower. Perpendicularly attached to said cam follower is a connecting rod having its opposite end pivotally secured to a crank arm. The rotational motion of the motor through the shaft is thus converted into a pivotal reciprocating motion given to the crank arm as the cam follower is made to follow the cam surface as the disc is rotated. The reciprocal pivotal movement of the crank arm is then transferred through the shaft upon which it is mounted to a rocker arm perpendicularly mounted on the other end of said shaft. A pair of pivotally mounted connecting arms are attached at the opposite ends of said rocker arm. The lower end of said connecting arm members are pivotally attached to the horizontal arms of bell crank members whose vertical arms are pivotally secured to the end of said traverse bars. Thus the reciprocal pivoting motion transferred from said crank arm gives an up and down motion to said connecting arm members causing the bell cranks which are pivotally secured at their elbows to drive the traverse bars in a back and forth reciprocal motion above said material passing therebeneath. By varying the shape of the cam surface or by angularly adjusting the cam with respect to said split ring cam mount frame, different patterns or designs may be applied to the fabric passing beneath said nozzles. Additional variables which can be used to change the design pattern is by varying the speed of the material beneath said reciprocating traverse bars or by varying the speed of the motor whose shaft drives the rotating cam follower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the polychromatic dye applicator having selected portions broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a partial end view shown in perspective;

FIG. 3 is a partial and elevation view;

FIG. 4 is a partial rear view illustrating the back of the power drive mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a partial end view illustrating the split ring cam mount frame with the cam removed; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective of a cam to be mounted in the split ring cam mount frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Looking now to FIG. 1 applicants polychromatic dye applicator is generally designated by the numeral 10. Its basic structure consists of a frame 12 having a plurality of dye tanks 14 mounted on its super structure. Individual supply lines 16 are connected to each of the dye tanks and each has an electrical shutoff valve 20 in its flow line. Switches in valve control switch box 22 operate valves 20 to allow continued flow of the dye through distribution lines 24 that are connected to the opposite ends of manifold pipes 26. Each manifold pipe supplies dye from its own dye tank. Along the length of the manifold pipes 26 are a plurality of apertures in the top walls and into which are connected on-off valves 28. The valves 28 are in turn connected to feed tubes 30 having nozzles 32 on their outer tips. It is thus seen that the flow to any single nozzle may be stopped without effecting any of the other nozzles of the unit. The nozzles themselves are detachably mounted in a plurality of apertures spaced across the length of the traverse bars 34. The flexibility of the feed tubes and the detachability of the nozzles 32 thus allow a great degree of flexibility in positioning the different nozzles next to each other when different colored dyes are in each of the individual dye tanks 14. The traverse bars are reciprocally mounted in a manner to be described later and have their ends supported in bearings 36 that are mounted on end plates 38. The bearings 36 function to control the parallel alignment of the traverse bars as they reciprocate back and forth over the material to be dyed.

In operation the polychromatic dye applicator is positioned transversely to the flow of material or fabric to be dyed in the apparatus. Fabric is then passed beneath the nozzles allowing a stream of dye to be directed on the fabric by positive pressure or simply by gravitational force. Since during the time the fabric is passing beneath the nozzle the traverse bars are moving back and forth, it can readily be seen that by varying the speed of the fabric through the apparatus different patterns may be obtained.

The operation for controlling the reciprocating motion of the traverse bars will now be described by looking to FIGS. 2 thru 6. The power source is a variable speed motor 40 which is mounted atop the frame 12. Rotational motion from the motors drive shaft is transmitted at a right angle to shaft 42 through gear box 44. A disc 46 having a hub 47 is mounted upon the end of shaft 42. The channel 48 across the outer face of the disc provides a track for a carriage 50 which is matingly slidable within said channel. Attached eccentrically to the outer face of said carriage member is cam follower 52. Mounted adjacent the open face of said disc is a split ring cam mount frame 54. A cam such as illustrated in FIG. 6 is detachably supported in said split ring cam mount frame such that the cam follower is placed in contact with cam surface 57. it is thus seen that as rotational motion is transmitted to said disc, the cam follower will make a cyclic path along cam surface 57 and in doing so will cause the carriage member 50 to slidably reciprocate back and forth in channel 48. The cam 56 has a flange 59 around its periphery to insure a proper seating relationship between the cam follower and the cam surface 57. It is also easily understandable that the angular relationship of the cam follower surface may be adjusted by loosening screws 60 on the cam mount frame and angularly adjusting the cam therewithin. This flexibility provides the mechanism for producing a multitude of variously controlled patterns or designs to be applied to the fabric being dyed as will be seen as the manner of transmitting the motion of the cam follower to the traverse bars 34 is now described.

Connecting rod 64 has its one end freely pivotally connected to the base of cam follower 52 and has its opposite end freely pivotally connected to a pin 65 mounted on crank arm 66. A reciprocal pivotal motion is thus transferred to the crank arm 66 from the action of the cam follower travelling around the cam surface 57. A sleeve 68 is mounted on shaft 77 and has said crank arm secured to its outer end surface. Since the sleeve is fixedly positioned on the shaft, the pivotal reciprocal motion received by the crank arm is transmitted through said shaft to a rocker arm 72 mounted adjacent the opposite end of said shaft. This pivotal reciprocal motion thus produces an up and down rocking motion in the rocker arm. Connecting arm members 74 are fastened for adjustable movement along rocker arm 72 and their opposite ends are pivotally mounted to the horizontal arms 76 of bell crank members 78. The bell crank members are pivotally mounted at their elbow upon a shaft 79 that is journalled within the housing of horizontal support bracket 80. The vertical arms 82 of the bell crank members are pivotally connected to lever arms themselves pivotally connected to the ends of said traverse bars. The up and down reciprocal motion that has been transmitted to said connecting arms passes through said bell crank members to produce a reciprocal back and forth motion of said traverse bars above the material or fabric to be dyed. lt can then be understood that by varying the angular relationship of said cam within said cam mount frame that differing lengths of strokes may be obtained which may also be varied in their speed within which they produce their reciprocal cycle, thereby producing a multitude of different control patterns or designs to be produced by dyes upon the fabric.

What is claimed is:

l. A dye applicator comprising a frame,

traverse bar means mounted on said frame,

a plurality of nozzles attached to said traverse bar means across its length,

means for selectively supplying dye to said nozzles,

cyclic motion means connected to said traverse bar means comprising a motor having a drive shaft, a cam follower, means transmitting motion from said drive shaft to said cam follower, a cam mount frame, cam means removably mounted in said frame and removably connected to said cam follower.

2. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer housing configuration of said cam means is symmetrical and said cam mount frame has a mating sym metrical bore whereby said cam means is angularly adjustable with respect to said cam mount frame to provide a capability to transmit different cyclic motions to said traverse bar means.

3 A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said traverse bar means is comprised of at least two parallel bars.

4. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said motor is a variable speed motor capable of varying the speed of the cyclic motion of said traverse bar means.

5. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said cyclic motion means further comprises bell crank means attached to said traverse bar means to produce a reciprocal motion in said traverse bar means.

6. A dye applicator as recited in claim 5 wherein said cyclic motion means further comprises a rocker arm mounted on a shaft and connecting member means having their one end attached to said rocker arm and their other end to said bell crank means to transform the axial pivotal motion of said shaft to the reciprocal back and forth motion of traverse bar means.

7. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said means transmitting motion from drive shaft to said cam follower comprises a disc receiving rotary motion and having a channel groove cut across its face in which a carriage member is free to reciprocate back and forth in the channel groove to allow the cam follower mounted on the carriage freedom to follow a cam surface against which the cam follower will be positioned. 

1. A dye applicator comprising a frame, traverse bar means mounted on said frame, a plurality of nozzles attached to said traverse bar means across its length, means for selectively supplying dye to said nozzles, cyclic motion means connected to said traverse bar means comprising a motor having a drive shaft, a cam follower, means transmitting motion from said drive shaft to said cam follower, a cam mount frame, cam means removably mounted in said frame and removably connected to said cam follower.
 2. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein the outer housing configuration of said cam means is symmetrical and said cam mount frame has a mating symmetrical bore whereby said cam means is angularly adjustable with respect to said cam mount frame to provide a capability to transmit different cyclic motions to said traverse bar means. 3 A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said traverse bar means is comprised of at least two parallel bars.
 4. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said motor is a variable speed motor capable of varying the speed of the cyclic motion of said traverse bar means.
 5. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said cyclic motion means further comprises bell crank means attached to said traverse bar means to produce a reciprocal motion in said traverse bar means.
 6. A dye applicator as recited in claim 5 wherein said cyclic motion means further comprises a rocker arm mounted on a shaft and connecting member means having their one end attached to said rocker arm and their other end to said bell crank means to transform the axial pivotal motion of said shaft to the reciprocal back and forth motion of traverse bar means.
 7. A dye applicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said means transmitting motion from drive shaft to said cam follower comprises a disc receiving rotary motion and having a channel groove cut across its face in which a carriage member is free to reciprocate back and forth in the channel groove to allow the cam follower mounted on the carriage freedom to follow a cam surface against which the cam follower will be positioned. 